driftfleet | Try Catching Flootemon with your Communicator!

[ This, she thinks, is reason enough for her to be glad she was brought to be a part of the fleet. Things with Charles might be difficult, even if it's not quite as awkward as things with Erik, but the development of her relationship with Hank... That means something to her. She can feel it, warm in the depths of her stomach, settling around her and making her feel as though she's buzzing, somehow - she isn't, of course, and it's idle giddiness that comes hand in hand with being around him, being close to him and knowing she's loved and cherished, but it's addictive too. She doesn't want to stop feeling this way.

The best thing is that they can be together and not have to worry about hiding anything. She knows that Hank is shy and Hank knows that Raven is still struggling to find her place and make sure she's comfortable in her own skin, literally and figuratively, and he doesn't push her any harder than she needs. In return, she nudges him and guides him and pokes and prods until they're both trying hard to go beyond what they might do, very slightly outside their comfort zones, and that's what a good relationship should be. Supporting and guiding and just... Being there for each other.

Cheeks still red, Raven makes sure she turns her gaze away from Hank before she gets too caught up in him, breathing out slowly as she focusses on the forest around them. She'd heard rumours of some rather nasty sounding animals, so she's glad they're being left alone for now - mostly so that they can keep their peace and quiet. She's not exactly afraid.

It doesn't take long for her eyes to turn back to him, though, and then it's impossible to look away. ]

It's definitely a date.

[ The words come out carefully and she can't stop staring at him, hesitating before she blinks, trying to find her words. ]

Will you win me a stuffed animal?

[it's certainly addictive, and the more he tries to resist it and try to keep some manner of control, the harder it is. He wants to drown in it, take it all in and use it to banish all of the dark thoughts he has, focus on nothing more than how they feel about each other and ignore the rest of the world. It's so tempting, and that it's possible they can do that makes it even more so. If he wasn't as responsible as he was, if working so they could remain down here wasn't a priority, he'd say fuck it and keep her in the room for days. He doesn't think she'd really mind.

But her nudges and pushing help, never overstepping, and it brings out parts of him he didn't know were there. Parts he doesn't really understand - he's never been romantic and he doesn't think he ever will be, not as much as he'd like to be, but he still has those urges, tenfold whenever he's around her. He wants to bring her flowers and find different ways to make her smile, to make sure every day she spends here is one she won't forget. It's so far out of his comfort zone that he doesn't know whether or not she knows just how much he pushes himself for her, whether it's his silly romantic notions or it has to do with his mutation. He wants to be a better person for himself, but - on the other hand, he wants to be one for her, too.

She looks away and he takes that opportunity to suck in a quiet breath, trying to force himself to remain calm. It isn't the sort of overwhelming feeling where the serum is at risk, not yet, but it's certainly close. And while he has some with him, considering the planet's effects, he'd rather not use it - even if it turns out he does end up overwhelming it completely. He's with her, and he never has to worry about it.

He swallows and nods, and it takes a moment to find actual words to respond that aren't grunts of agreement]

I'd try to, mm. If you wanted me too.

[a pause, and he huffs out a noise] You need to stop that. [it's more teasing than anything. He doesn't want her to stop]

I'm not doing anything.

[ Raven can't help the way her cheeks flush a little, though, because she knows it's true - she is doing something, but she doesn't really mean to. She feels a little awkward about it, considering they're having a rather lovely moment in the forest together. It's not as if it's the only thing on her mind, though, and that softens her a little bit; she's too focussed on all the lovely things she's feeling to be completely distracted by the fact that she wants something from him that would keep the both of them away from the rest of the world for a rather extended period of time.

She and Hank can lose control together, and that's scary and dangerous at the same time. It's a little odd to think that she's so happy and comfortable with someone that she can give into the urge to let go in a way that's almost irreversible, but her faith in Hank is so thick and sure that it's like a warm solid weight inside of her. She might have been hurt in the past but she's long since forgiven Hank for what had happened between them - they've changed since then, and she relaxes against him as she tilts her head up, nudging her nose against his jaw before she smiles into his neck.

How can she resist something as lovely as this? ]

I'll win you one as well, though. We can win each other some things to keep on the Blameless.

[ Hesitant, though, she breathes out before she kisses him gently, whispering. ]

... I'm not doing it on purpose.

[he knows she doesn't mean to, just like he doesn't mean it, either. Even if they're trying to control it all it still slips through sometimes. And it's hard not to feel similar, to let his own wants mirror hers. he wants so many things with her, gentle and soft and intimate and sometimes he isn't sure if that's him merely echoing her feelings, or all his own. The thought that it might lead to them going back and ignoring the rest of the world for a while makes his own flush burn, but he does duck away or hide it. She'd know regardless.

They're going to get in trouble with this sooner or later. The good kind, most likely.

Her kiss feels like a gentle spark, gently encouraging all the feelings he has at the moment. It takes all his willpower not to lean in and kiss her harder, and his fingers tangle in the material of her shirt, gently gripping at it as if looking for something to hold onto, so he doesn't get lost. He tips head forward so their foreheads rest together and sighs out, slow and careful, a laugh tangled in the noise]

That'd be nice. Make our room really ours.

[he can't help it; he kisses her, as gentle as she kissed him, and doesn't pull away this time] I know.

[ They're nurturing that spark between them, and there's no point trying to hide it. With Raven pressed this close and her body settled against Hanks, even if it's back to front the intensity is still there. With the tree behind them the after-effects of the tree and the sharing still tingling through them it's impossible to ignore the fact that they want to be closer together. They're in a relationship and they want to share these things with each other - and when words don't work they have this. It's enough for her, for now, and Raven softens as she leans back.

It's impossible not to look at Hank, to gaze at him, and she wants to memorise this moment. She wants to be able to remember it when she's woken up from a nightmare or when she feels lost or alone. She wants to be able to bask in being around him, and she feels so happy and contented that it's like there's a fire burning inside of her. Maybe there will be a time where she clings to this, but - right now she's just happy for them to be here together.

Leaning forward, unable to even think about moving away, she nods her head. ]

We can put our stuffed animals up in there, and bring the blankets I bought here back so that it's ours. I've heard the captain's room looks pretty good.

[ Grinning, she nudges their noses together again before she tilts and kisses him gently, turning her body so she can wrap her arms around his neck. ]

[it suddenly strikes him just how normal this is. It isn't odd for couples to spend time together, especially out in more private areas just to have time alone. It's a piece of what they'd wanted years ago and here it is, and they didn't have to do a damn thing to get it. And they've been doing similar things, as close to normal as it'll ever be in space, and the irony isn't lost on him; that it wasn't until they gave up on all that they have it in some sense. As close to it as they'll ever get, and it amazes and amuses him at the same time. Months ago he would have never thought he'd be sitting here with Raven, or sitting here with anyone, or as happy as he is.

He won't take it for granted. Not again.

He quirks a smile and turns his head enough to let his lips brush her cheek in a gentle kiss] I'd like that. I've never really - bothered with that sort of thing before.

[even in the mansion, his room had very few personal effects. And his room in Kyriakos had none, save for his notes.

Oh, she's turning around to kiss him - his arms tighten once she settles and he happily returns it, fingers skirting down her side to rest on her hip]

[ Soft, Raven nods her head, lifting her hands to stroke through his hair as she looks over him, careful and gentle. She can't stop gazing, and she feels a flush of warmth before she leans forward to kiss him again. This is what she has always wanted, she thinks, and the imagine of an unknown dream is filled with Hank - the same way her dreams have been filled with him ever since they met and they came together. Now she can't imagine giving it up, and she leans close, smiling as she rests her forehead against his. ]

We can bring the blankets, and see if they have any other little things we can put around the room. I know I saw some carvings, since wood is so important here, and we can put those on the shelves. With... With the photo, and the book.

[ They have a little collection, she thinks. They have their own little bubble of the world away from everyone else, and that's okay. Their room on the Blameless is their safe haven and that is important to her - no one else can break into it, not really. They might enter the room, and they might bother them, but when they're alone there, together? Nothing else matters. Nothing else is important.

The hand on her hip makes her breathe out and she closes her eyes, lifting her head and pressing close, tilting her own and drawing Hank into another kiss. She doesn't stop this time, one hand resting on Hank's chest and the other moving up to his hair again, and she rests there, just kissing him, basking in it. ]

[there's the urge to look away, unsure and shy under her gaze, but he doesn't; he can't, when he knows why she's doing it and what she's feeling, and he feels warm all over again. He reaches up to push some hair behind her behind her ear, and it's such a simple gesture and yet it still means more than that, that he can just do it whenever he wants]

Maybe we can take a day to do that - you said you wanted to go shopping, so . . . so we can shop for things for our room. [it's strange, when he first got here he didn't think he'd ever consider the Blameless a home, and here he is now, making it just that with Raven. Their own space that speaks of being theirs. His mind is a quiet buzz of excitement, that they're going to do all of this together.

He lets her lean against him, his arm resting around her waist to keep her steady and kisses back, leaving how this goes in her hands. He could sit here and kiss her forever]

That sounds perfect.

[ Leaning into his touch, Raven closes her eyes and softens, her eyes closing. His touch is warming and she feels it flood through her, her own lifting to stroke over his hand, to trace the line of his bones and the softness of his skin. Her eyes close and she basks, leaning closer and adjusting her weight so she can lean close, her free hand brushing over the back of his neck. ]

We can decorate our space.

[ But she stops talking now; she stops talking and, instead, shifts and moves into the kiss, tilting herself forward and pressing her body close against his, lifting herself and kissing him a little harder. She doesn't want to stop kissing him, and she closes her eyes, drawing him closer and letting herself rest against him, his back against the tree and her body against his. ]

[he still has a gift to give her, almost complete with Winn's help, but he thinks that can wait, until they've established some of what they want to do with their room. That and it's still not done; he wants to get other pictures for her, hard copies that she can keep with her when they finally leave, of Charles and Erik, of all of them together - with Charles' birthday coming up it's the perfect opportunity, he thinks. He's never been one for pictures himself, but it's certainly something he knows she would appreciate.

He doesn't have to say anything in response beyond an agreeing noise, and really, words aren't important anymore. Raven settles against him and he lays back slowly, briefly lamenting that they didn't sit under a tree instead. But this is fine, it's familiar, and it doesn't take much to keep the kiss going, leaning up into her as his hand moves up her side, idly stroking up and down]

[ There's a gentle shiver that runs through her body at his touch and Raven huffs a little noise, cheeks pink and her body angling towards his touch without her even realising it. It's all more intense because of the planet, true enough, but there's a warmth there that's all her own emotions, absent of his - she knows she loves Hank, after all, has known for a long time, and her happiness settles there as obvious as her attraction had been the first day they met. There had never been hiding something that had been practically painted on her face, and she doesn't feel the need for it here, either.

Careful, her body leans over his and she makes a soft, breathless noise, her eyes closing before she forces herself to shift back, to give herself a little time to come down from the rush of everything hitting her at once. It prickles at her, pleasure she can't hide even for a moment, and the way that her flush carries down from her cheeks through to her neck is probably more than enough evidence of that. It's what Hank does to her, and she's not ashamed of it - she likes it, and she's sure he can pick up on it.

After a moment of just staring at him, drinking him in and basking in the shape of his face and the colour of his skin, Raven leans down and kisses him again, softer and slower this time - no less passionate, of course, but without the hurry of the previous kisses. ]

[for all the hiding that they did do, when it came to each other they never did. It was obvious from the moment they met that he was very taken with Raven, and while she had been the most beautiful he'd ever seen, it had been what she'd said to him that really snagged him. A simple compliment could go a long way, and it lead to him falling in love with this woman he just can't seem to stop kissing.

When she draws back he takes the opportunity to catch his breath, and his head drops back against the grass. He's as flushed as she is, and as he watches her it darkens just a little, trailing down his neck and under the collar of his shirt. He'd be stupid if he didn't know what sort of effect he had on her, but watching it like this - it was different. Feeling it was different, and it only added to his own.

His hand resuming it's movements along her side, the other lifts to bury his fingers in her hair as she leans down to claim another kiss]

[ This is what the planet does to them, she thinks; it makes all the things they feel become more intense because they're aware that each of them can feel what the other is feeling, all the rolling emotions that flicker through both their minds. Each touch that inspires desire in her is reflected in Hank and vice versa - and while, yes, it is incredible to feel overwhelmed by your boyfriend's affection for you it does leave the mind a little fuzzy, and Raven is trying to keep herself settled as she leans into kisses and feels heat along her body.

It doesn't really stop, either, or look like it's going to stop - his hand is in her hair and Raven tilts into it, her eyes closing as she basks in the touch. It's always been nice, having Hank touch her, having his fingers tangled in her hair and drawing her closer, but it's made more wonderful knowing that he's enjoying himself as well. The flush is a telltale sign, true, but their connection - that's stronger, and it makes her shiver with want.

Careful, she leaves kisses against his jaw and down lower to his neck before she stops to breathe, voice low and quiet. ]

Do you want to get carried away here, Hank?

[ Raven has no shame, really, not when they're alone together and they're basking in their emotions, but knowing Hank the way she does - she'd rather be careful with him than run the risk of hurting him accidentally. ]

[he isn't as caught up as he could be, in kissing and touching and feeling, but it still takes a moment for the question to register, and another moment after that for him to process exactly what she's saying. A part of him wonders how that has to feel - going from curious to confused to utterly embarrassed in a matter of seconds, and it'd be emotional whiplash if he wasn't so used to it. After all, he experienced it often when he was with Raven, sometimes in the best of ways.

He isn't sure he could give an answer even if he had one, and his jaw works as his face heats up, eyes widen and almost as though he's been caught, indulging just a bit too much. He's laying in the woods with his girlfriend making out and again, he's reminded of just how much they act like a couple of teenagers. And here he'd been teasing Charles about that the other day.

Of course it'd come back to bite him]

I— [he swallows as her lips trail along his neck and he can't ignore the shiver it sends down his spine. He has to say something and he finally forces the words out, voice as quiet and low as hers]

Do you?

[ Raven doesn't mean, of course, to embarrass Hank. It's not as if it was her main intention, bringing it up - but she knows her boyfriend. She knows that if they keep going and she keeps pushing then there's going to be a bit of a blue problem and she doesn't want him to feel ashamed or uncomfortable. As much as she would love to get carried away and mess around here, with him, as if they were just two normal people... They're not. The thing is... There's nothing wrong with that; it had just taken her a little while to understand it.

Careful, she moves her body up so she can look at his face, her hand moves to brush hair out of the way, her expression soft. It's easier for her - she's used to maintaining this form, used to being able to handle being blonde under pressure. It's different for Hank when his mutation is tied up with serum and his emotions, and she doesn't want him to feel as though she's ignoring that, especially when she can feel his embarrassment and his nerves. All she wants is to make him feel good, and sometimes she wonders - and worries - that she's pushing too hard.

Leaning down, she kisses him gently, careful before she speaks, her voice low and quiet. ]

I always want to get carried away with you, Hank. Sometimes it's all I can think about. But I don't want you to have to go back to town worried about having lost control.

[for once, the blue problem isn't exactly on his mind. Not to say it isn't there - it always it, but not as main a concern as it tends to be, especially when it comes to this. No, this is actual, normal embarrassment, the kind that comes from a guy who isn't all that versed in this sort of thing, who blushes just speaking about it.

He'd never think she's ignoring how his mutation works, though. She knows, very well, how everything is connected and how important his control is, and even if he's afraid of losing that control and hurting her he knows she realizes that. He certainly wouldn't forgive himself if that happened, but he knows she would.

He debates, for a very long moment, taking in her affections before he shifts and pulls something out of his pocket, setting it next to them. It's his glasses case, which shouldn't be all that strange, but -

He clears his throat a little awkwardly, and and makes a gesture to it]

It's - uh, it's not a concern. Not - that part of it, anyway. [he looks away, sheepish and embarrassed and - rambling. He's definitely rambling] I mean, with the - planet the way it is and how intense it gets sometimes I've started - carrying some with me just in case, so I don't - er, don't change back in the middle of the market—

Hank.

[ Raven is grinning, shifting up a little as she hovers over him. He's carrying serum around and, of course, that doesn't mean she can just mess around and completely ignore the fact that he's liable to transform when he loses control it does mean that they don't have to worry as much as they might have before. It's true that Hank had walked around other places without his serum, but this is how he's comfortable and that - that's fine. She can handle that because she's still getting used to it herself.

Her mouth is drawn back to his quickly enough, though, and Raven kisses him again, gentle and soft before her fingers run through his hair. It's impossible not to want to smother him with her affection sometimes - she loves him so much and has gone so long without the chance that it feels remarkable, being able to sit here and give herself over to him. Their relationship is almost like a gift itself, and she prickles with her own want and affection for him, as though she can really hide it. She can't, of course, especially right now when each of their kisses is literally a lit beacon into her emotional state.

The next time she speaks it's a mumble against his mouth, not really audible with how she's drawn back to his lips, so she has to practically force herself to lean back to tease him, kissing the corner of his mouth and beaming at him. ]

It's very practical of you. I'm not going to complain if it means I get to kiss you for even longer.

[ And if they want to go further than that - well, it's not as if they're in public, or they could decide to hurry back to their room. Either option sounds fine with her, especially if it means she gets to stay wrapped around Hank, kissing him until it hurts. ]

[it's probably a good thing she shuts him up, because he would've kept going otherwise. He hasn't carried the serum on his person since he's been home and there the unease and fear is real - especially after Paris, especially since they're not quite sure what direction the world is going to go in now. And the only reason he's doing it here is like he said - it can be overwhelming, sharing emotions the people do here, and given that he spends most of the days out when he does work, he'd rather be safe than sorry.

He can't help but make a soft noise into the kiss as everything she feels is transferred to him, and his fingers tighten briefly before relaxing. He doesn't quite understand the why - he's a nervous mess sometimes, this is normal for him? - but it does help calm him a bit, knowing that she isn't upset or angry or something else with him. That instead it seems she still wants him, despite the fact that all it takes is one sentence for him to immediately lose most of his nerve and become the embarrassed, awkward man he is.

His response is a mumble too, still a little awkward and on the verge of another ramble, but he doesn't let it get to that this time] If - you want. I mean - that's - uh. That's my answer to your question.

[nailed it, he's so smooth]

[ As adorable as Hank is, sometimes he can talk himself into a corner - and both of them know it. He'll end up losing his mind completely and making what he thinks is a fool of himself, and that would be terrible for their current connection - Raven wants him to feel good, not bad, and that's what her focus is on. She certainly has no problems with showing him just how much she appreciates him, and she shakes her head as she leans down and kisses him gently.

If Hank didn't get nervous or embarrassed or awkward around certain topics then he wouldn't be Hank, she thinks. He wouldn't be the remarkable, wonderful man that she's in love with, and what would be the point in that? She'd much rather suffer through a few awkward moments than be with someone else - because she just wants Hank. She's known for a long time that he's what she wanted and she's not about to give him up now that they're together, having worked so hard to get to this point.

Careful, Raven adjusts her body so she's straddling him properly, leaning down to press a quick, soft kiss against his mouth, her fingers brushing over the side of his face before she breathes out. Then her lips are against his cheek, her smile there before she speaks. ]

I always want to, okay? If it's with you then the answer is yes.

[ And then it's easy to kiss him again, to press closer and close her eyes, to enjoy this wonderful moment together in the middle of nowhere. ]

[there's a quiet sense of relief and gratitude he can't help but share across their connection; that she knows how he can be when it comes to these things and accepts it, works with it with a patience he has to marvel at. He doesn't think anyone else would bother, or they'd get fed up with as many times as he fumbles - but not Raven. She loves him, and this is just another way she's showing him that. By accepting he's an awkward mess and being as gentle as always.

He swallows hard as she straddles him and he can't help but shift, just a bit, his body already reacting with interest in the new position. She's closer now and he feels warm all over again, from where she's rested against him to all over his body. And for the briefest moment, he's embarrassed - that it's that easy for her to get a reaction out of him, even as much of a mess as he can be when they're intimate like this. Like the control he's so carefully honed and built up is nothing in the face of Raven.

He should probably say something, and he manages a shaky "Okay—" before she kisses him again, and then he forgets worrying about talking at all. He kisses back, soft and gentle as his arms wrap around her]

[ Of course she knows, and she understands; this is who Hank is. It's part of what makes him the man she loves and if you take away the awkwardness and the slight nerves then he wouldn't be himself. He'd be someone different and Raven thinks - no, she knows - that the person he would be isn't the person she wants. What she wants is to see him grow, see him develop, see him be happy, and if that comes hand in hand with a few moments of awkward while they're making out then she thinks she can handle that.

Closing her eyes, she breathes out a quiet noise as he moves against her, hesitating for a moment before she refocusses. Leaning down, she nudges their noses together as she leaves a kiss on his mouth, closing her eyes and shifting a little so she can curl her fingers into his shirt, so she can press her face into his neck. There the skin-on-skin contact is enough that she can send him her own emotions, her own nerves and the touch of embarrassment, that it's a little bit different when they're not locked away together in a hotel room with blue skin their main focus.

Arms around her come, though, and it makes her more comfortable - she leans into Hank and she leans into the kisses, offering him whatever he wants from her. There's nothing that's too much, she thinks, and the way that she feels when she tilts her head to deepen the kiss is an extreme rush of glee and warmth that spreads through her body. ]

[a few moments is an understatement, because growing and developing in relationship is entirely different from getting used to his mutation. The only knowledge he has comes from past, failed attempts and watching others, from the few movies and books he's watched or read that had a focus on romance. But it helps that they both don't really know exactly what they're doing, that they're exploring it all together for the first time and it eases some of the nerves he feels.

When she presses close and he can feel her nerves, though - it's almost a relief, knowing she isn't as sure as she seems. His arms tighten around her and he turns his head to press his lips to her temple, breathing in. Sometimes he isn't sure, because Raven seems so certain in her wants, and yet the feelings she's sharing say otherwise. If anything, it makes her love her more; it makes him marvel that he can make her feel that way, when she makes him feel that way all the time.

He briefly wonders if maybe they should head back to their room, or even head to one of the treehouses in the woods for the night for some actual privacy; they're not that far from the tree and he knows the story has gotten around by now, and he wouldn't be surprised if they were the only ones seeking it out that day. But as he gets caught up in kissing her again the thought is put on hold, too distracted by how she feels and tastes to voice it]

[ Considering how much she had hidden away at Oxford and when they had been younger, Raven's hopes and dreams for romance and love had been pinned on idealistic images of romantic movies, with massive fights and breakups that come together in the end for a perfect resolution, the kind where the couple kiss and make up and ride off into the sunset. Real relationships aren't like that and she had learned it through growing up, through being told that one half of her nature wasn't beautiful, from learning to accept herself and her broken heart, from becoming stronger and better.

She might have forgiven Hank a long, long time ago but there's no ignoring how that moment in her room had shaped her as a person.

None of that matters, of course, when she can settle against him with warmth flooding her and the cool afternoon weather around their bodies. It's true that they're fairly close to the touristy tree, but with their mutations and their senses she thinks they're going to be safe, that they'll be alright to kiss and kiss and kiss until their lips are sore and she can't handle being on top of him and not doing anything else. It's not something that they've done a lot of and she knows it - kissing, yes, but getting carried away? They're usually more controlled, more careful, but right now she can't bring herself to care.

Kissing Hank is easier than thinking about all that, though, and Raven makes a soft noise against his mouth, one hand curled in his shirt and the other reaching to touch his face, drawing him closer as she moves back. Looking down at him she knows her face is flushed and her lips must be red from their kisses, but all she can do is stare, completely captivated by him. ]

Try Catching Flootemon with your Communicator!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject